1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a side-channel ring compressor for pumping and compressing gaseous and/or vaporous media in a vacuum and/or in the overpressure range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ring compressors for pumping gases and vapors are known in various designs. The medium to be pumped flows through the compressor on a helical path and, through repeated acceleration, pressure increases are achieved which are 10 to 15 times higher than those achievable with conventional radial blowers of the same dimensions and speed.
A particular problem with such ring compressors is the formation of noise at the inlet and outlet openings. Typically, such noise is suppressed by sound absorbers which are installed in the ring compressors. In isolated critical cases as, e.g., in cases where ring compressors which run continuously are located directly next to operating personnel, the sound level must frequently be further reduced by using an additional sound absorber. Sound absorbers of the aforementioned type are described, for instance, in the German Pat. No. 1,884,542.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a side-channel ring compressor in which separate additional sound deadening devices or absorbers for sound reduction can be largely dispensed with.